1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and device for detecting the initiation of the starting process of a motorcycle by a rider.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the last few decades, motorcycles have developed from a cost-effective means of locomotion into a leisure vehicle in which emphasis is increasingly being placed on the rider's safety and comfort.
Similarly to automobiles some years ago, motorcycles are also increasingly being equipped with antilock brake systems (ABS). EP 0 548 985 B1 discloses, for example, an antilock brake device for motorcycles. In addition, DE 40 00 212 A1 discloses a method for braking a motorcycle with antilock protection and for determining the coefficient of adhesion.
Motorcycles have traditionally had one activation element for each of the two brake circuits. The front wheel brake is usually activated by what is referred to by a hand brake lever, and the rear wheel brake is usually activated by what is referred to as a foot brake lever.
In the context of motorcycles, what is referred to as an integral brake system is usually understood to be a brake system in which, when the hand brake lever or the foot brake lever is activated, the brake of the second brake circuit is additionally applied by means of an active buildup of pressure. By activating a single activation element it is therefore possible to actuate both brakes. If both brakes are respectively actuated when the hand brake lever or the foot brake lever is activated, this is referred to as a fully integral brake. However, combinations are also possible in which one brake lever acts on one wheel and the other brake lever acts on both wheels (partially integral brake system). Integral brake systems for motorcycles are known, for example, from DE 38 03 563 A1 and DE 103 16 351 A1.
Owing to the increased safety and/or the increased comfort it is to be expected that in future there will be increased use of partially integral brake systems and fully integral brake systems in motorcycles, which assist the rider in the braking process through an active buildup of pressure at the front wheel and/or rear wheel and therefore ensure an optimized braking distance.
Furthermore, in the field of motorcycles, rider assistance systems are becoming increasingly important. There is therefore, in particular, increasing demand for cost-effective rider assistance systems which utilize the existing hardware in order to carry out further comfort and/or safety functions.
The abovementioned motorcycle rider assistance systems also include systems with a holding function and/or starting function which hold the motorcycle in the stationary state, for example on an incline, and/or permit it to start at the rider's request.
In the field of passenger cars, methods for detecting starting are known, for example from DE 103 06 363 A1, which methods evaluate inter alia, the engine torque. In order to detect whether a valid starting request is present, the information required here is whether there is a frictional connection between the engine and the drivetrain and whether the rider would like to, or is able to, move the vehicle out of the stationary state by increasing the engine torque. To do this, for example signals for the clutch and the gearspeed information and the engine torque are used. In the motorcycle, this information is, however, usually not available owing to the relatively low level of networking of the various control units.
The invention relates to a method and a device with which the initiation of the starting process by the rider is reliably detected even if there is no information available about the engine torque.